Intel Core i3-2120 vs AMD Athlon II X3 450

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-2120 and AMD Athlon II X3 450 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-2120

AMD Athlon II X3 450

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-2120

CPU is newer: launch date 5 month(s) later
Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 46% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 16% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1512 vs 1301
Around 6% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1958 vs 1847
Around 55% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 577 vs 372
Around 34% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1265 vs 941
10.1x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 35.45 vs 3.501
2.5x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.227 vs 0.091

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	February 2011 vs September 2010
Maximum frequency	3.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1512 vs 1301
PassMark - CPU mark	1958 vs 1847
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577 vs 372
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1265 vs 941
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	35.45 vs 3.501
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227 vs 0.091

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X3 450

1 more cores, run more applications at once: 3 vs 2
3x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
3x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
20.4x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.488 vs 0.073
Around 39% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 3.184 vs 2.296

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	3 vs 2
L1 cache	128 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	512 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.488 vs 0.073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	3.184 vs 2.296

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-2120
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X3 450

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1512

1301

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1958

1847

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

577

372

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1265

941

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.073

1.488

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

35.45

3.501

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.227

0.091

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.296

3.184

Name	Intel Core i3-2120	AMD Athlon II X3 450
PassMark - Single thread mark	1512	1301
PassMark - CPU mark	1958	1847
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577	372
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1265	941
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.073	1.488
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	35.45	3.501
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227	0.091
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.999
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.296	3.184

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-2120	AMD Athlon II X3 450
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Rana
Launch date	February 2011	September 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$95	$45
Place in performance rating	2894	2961
Price now	$30	$39.99
Processor Number	i3-2120
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	38.51	19.32
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	131 mm	169 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	3072 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C
Maximum frequency	3.3 GHz	3.2 GHz
Number of cores	2	3
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	504 million	300 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)